1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to locking systems for gates and other closures and more particularly, to a multi-lock latch, which utilizes multiple padlocks to facilitate gate entry by as many persons. The multi-lock latch is characterized by a drum rotatably secured to the gate and provided with a peripheral flange having spaced padlock shackle openings for receiving the padlock shackles in locked configuration. A locking bar is horizontally mounted in sliding relationship on the gate, such that a drum-engaging end of the locking bar is aligned with the shackle openings as the drum is rotated and the opposite, or locking end of the padlock is aligned with a plate opening located in a gate post plate mounted on a gate post securing the gate. Accordingly, the gate is locked and cannot be opened when the locking bar is disposed such that the locking end thereof is inserted in the plate opening located in the gate post plate and the drum-engaging end is spaced from the drum. However, the gate may be opened by unlocking one of the padlocks, removing the padlock shackle from the corresponding shackle opening, rotating the drum and remaining padlocks to align the shackle opening and the drum-engaging end of the locking bar and sliding the locking bar horizontally, such that the drum-engaging end extends through the vacant shackle opening. This movement of the locking bar causes the locking end of the locking bar to vacate the plate opening in the gate post plate and allows the gate to open. It will be appreciated that this same procedure may be followed by unlocking each of the other padlocks attached to the drum flange, to facilitate access through the gate by multiple individuals, each having a key or the combination to one of the respective padlocks, as the case may be.
One of the problems which is realized in the locking of gates which block access to such properties as oil and gas leases, ranches and other areas which require access by more than one person, is that of providing a separate key for each person. A typical locking device for such gates is a chain wrapped around the gate post and gate, which chain is secured by a single padlock to prohibit unauthorized ingress. Since keys are easily lost and it is difficult and time-consuming to distribute new keys in such an event, or when a new padlock is required due to weathering or damage to the old one, a continuing problem of ingress and egress exists when several persons must enter the premises.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,125, dated Apr. 26, 1955 to J. W. Ritter, Sr., details a "Means for Locking a Gate to a Gatepost". The Ritter patent discloses vertically movable members which are each secured by a padlock and when unlocked, are adapted to slide in a gate post for lifting and lowering a gate latch slide bolt and opening and closing the gate, respectively. U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,497, dated June 17, 1975, to Herman I. Tuttle, details a "Multiple-Lock Securing System". The multiple-lock securing system includes a bar having a security device attached thereto. A locking plate contains openings with locks positioned therein and the bar can be fastened to the locking plate when the locks are positioned in each of the openings. When one of the locks is removed from the locking plate the bar is released, providing access to the secured area. A "Multiple Padlock Device" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,031, dated Oct. 26, 1976, to Gordon R. Meyer. The multiple padlock device includes a vertically-rotatable plate mounted on a stationary, horizontal axis in the same plane as the fence and gate when the gate is closed. A series of holes are located in the rotatable plate, with individual bars pivotally attached to the plate to cover each respective hole. Locking holes are contained in both the rotatable plate and each pivotable bar contained thereon, to lock the bar into a position covering each of the respective holes. A horizontally slidable locking bar, which is in the same plane as the gates, slidably extends through a gate post, with one end thereof extending into a hole in the fence post. The other end of the locking bar is in abutting relationship with the rotatable plate, such that if a pivotal bar is moved to one side, the horizontal slidable locking bar may be extended through a hole in the rotatable plate, thereby removing the opposite end from the hole in the fence post to allow the gate to be opened. U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,278, dated Dec. 23, 1980, to Peter J. Linder, details a "Gate Locking Device". The device includes a locking mechanism for a horizontally swinging gate bar to lock the end of the bar to a vertical post. The vertical post has a cap member threadably mounted eccentrically thereon, the cap member having a cavity to receive the end of the gate bar. The cap member contains a locked linkage, one of the links of which includes a locking projection engaging a slot in the post. The linkage includes pivotal connections formed by the shackles of padlocks. By removing at least one of the padlocks, the linkage can be disconnected to allow withdrawal of the locking projection from the post slot and allow the cap member to be rotated sufficiently to enable the end of the gate bar to be swung out of the locking cavity. A stop member depending from the floor of the cavity cooperates with a horizontal lug in the post to prevent unscrewing of the cap member from the post. A "Multi-Lock Security Device" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,443, dated Oct. 6, 1987, to Wilbert L. Hillin. The device includes a locking plate rotatably disposed on a stationary axis, the axis secured to an existing structure or embedded in the ground. The locking plate is provided with a series of radial access channels formed through a flange retaining rib disposed on the lock plate, to enable the gate pin to be slidably held within an interior latch race. Fastening gates are pivotally attached to the locking plate and may be closed across the access channels and secured with padlocks connectable through corresponding openings in both the fastening gate and the locking plate.
It is an object of this invention to provide a multi-lock latch which operates to facilitate ingress and egress by multiple individuals using multiple padlocks.
Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-lock latch which is designed to facilitate ingress and egress through a gate by using multiple padlocks mounted in locking openings on a rotatable drum flange, wherein one end of a cooperating, sliding locking bar may be slidably inserted in a selected one of the locking openings when a padlock is removed, to facilitate removal of the opposite end of the locking bar from a gate post and opening the gate.
Another object of this invention is to provide a multi-lock latch for closing a gate, which latch is characterized by a rotating drum provided with a peripheral flange having spaced openings therein for receiving the shackles of several padlocks, respectively, and a locking bar slidably mounted on the gate in alignment with the padlock openings as the drum rotates, to facilitate opening the gate after one or more of the padlocks are removed to vacate the padlock openings.